Resort St. plan still too costly

Baker City officials have significantly trimmed the cost to local taxpayers for burying utility lines on a several-block section of Resort Street downtown that’s scheduled to be rebuilt next year.

But the prospective bill is still too expensive.

Much too expensive.

In April we urged the city to drop the idea.

Our opinion hasn’t changed.

The proposal is attractive, to be sure.

After all, the ground’s going to be dug up when Resort is rebuilt between Auburn and Campbell. That’s the ideal time to bury the power, phone and cable TV lines.

But even though the city’s projected share of the $1.1 million job is now about $340,000, roughly half the estimate from April, even the lower figure isn’t justified.

The city can spend the money on other projects that have a greater benefit to a larger number of city residents.

In April we cited one obvious example: starting to reverse the decade-long downward trend in the condition of city streets.

There was another worthwhile option on the agenda for the City Council meeting Tuesday night, an agenda that also included the Resort Street plan.

Councilors are considering doling out grant dollars for “neighborhood enhancements.” The city hasn’t defined the term, but it could include such things as sprucing up the park strip between the street and sidewalk, cleaning dilapidated properties or installing security lighting.

The city could get a lot of mileage, so to speak, from $340,000 by spreading those dollars in every neighborhood rather than on a section of one street.